August 2010...anyone starting chemo besides me?!

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  • wherria
    wherria Member Posts: 205
    edited August 2010

    Hello, my dear friends.  This poast should tell you how much each of you has come to mean to me.  I have no cancer news.  My dog, Bixby, died today.  He was my Sweet Boy.  We had a very special connection, and I don't know what else to say except that I am completely devastated.  

    I have really appreciated all of you who posted your good wishes for Bixby. Thank you. 

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  • sweeney
    sweeney Member Posts: 353
    edited August 2010

    WHERRIA- I'm so, so, so sorry. My pets have meant more to me in the last two month's as I go through all this madness. I can't believe the timing for you and Bixby. But remember, he probably knew how much and how deeply he was loved and that's quite a life for a dog. His picture is beautiful.

    For the rest of you- (and wherria too, who may need a laugh....)- I had the HOTTEST male nurse EVER for my chemo round 2 today. A straight up mix between George Clooney and Jon Hamm. It got to the point where my husband was rolling his eyes. AND his IV skills were SO AWESOME. Found the vein right off. NO bruising. Thank you very much. Siiiiiiiigh.

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  • 1WonderWoman
    1WonderWoman Member Posts: 2,065
    edited August 2010

    Wherria: I am so, so sorry...I am tearing up as I type.   My heart goes out to you.  I am so, so sorry.  About 20 months ago I lost my cat of 18 years and it killed me.   It was totally systemic and everything just failed.  I am soo, soo sorry for you.  I really don't know what to say.  Our animals become such a part of the fabric of our lives.  You had wonderful times and I am glad you had the love of Bixby in your life.  It is just such a travesty, such a loss, especially for you, now.  It took me a while to get Bibbers, my new cat, and I love her just as much and she is a joy.  It is just such a loss for you now but this means another dog needs you now.  Wherria-I wish I was there to give you a big hug.  I am just heart broken with you.  I am now crying....cherish your memories and remember Bixby would not want you sad for long.  I wish I could take away your pain....I am just so sorry. 

    Liz

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  • Binney4
    Binney4 Member Posts: 8,609
    edited August 2010

    Hi, all,

    Hope it's okay if I just jump in here for a minute to respond to Lisa-at-the-shore, as I happened on her post about laser hair removal. Lisa, you might want to re-think that idea. Here's why: you want to avoid not only skin breaks, but pain, because pain draws lymph fluid to the area and could cause a back-up in your already-compromised lymph system. And since some of our gals who have done laser hair removal report some irritation and pain to the area, that's a lymphedema risk as well. Here are some lymphedema risk reduction guidelines, including a link to suggestions for safe ways to shave under your arms:

    http://www.stepup-speakout.org/riskreduction_for_lymphedema.htm

    Also, the "Lymphedema After Surgery" forum here at bc.org has lots of posts on this subject that you can find by searching "shaving" under the Lymphedma forum.

    Be well!
    Binney

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  • DebJ
    DebJ Member Posts: 41
    edited August 2010

    wherria, I am so sorry about your sweet boy.  Love is Love and the love we have for our special pets is as true as any love.  I send you hugs and hugs.  I wish I could do more.  I lost two fine kitties this spring after 17 years.  It is tough.  Take care and know we all care about you..... 

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  • lisasinglem
    lisasinglem Member Posts: 315
    edited August 2010

    Wherria - I just wanted to say that I am so sorry to hear about Bixby.  Sending you a big hug!

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  • lisasinglem
    lisasinglem Member Posts: 315
    edited August 2010

    Sweeney - I WANT YOUR NURSE!  OMG!  That combination is my dream man!  I might have fainted when he touched me. ;-)

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  • jsw19
    jsw19 Member Posts: 243
    edited August 2010

    Wherria, I am so sorry to hear that Bixby has passed away.  He was a lucky dog to have had you as a mom and I am sure he had a good life.  I hope you are able to cherish all of the memories of the good times you two had together.  Big hugs to you!

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  • Ondagrow
    Ondagrow Member Posts: 349
    edited August 2010

    Wherria,

    I am so sorry to hear about Bixby...You are in my thoughts...

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  • mommichelle
    mommichelle Member Posts: 191
    edited August 2010

    Wherria,

    I too am very sad for your loss.  I know how tough it is too lose a pet and to lose them now is very sad.  They are like family!

    You are in my thoughts,

    Michelle

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  • rosesrx
    rosesrx Member Posts: 458
    edited August 2010

    Wherria,  So sorry to hear about Bixby.  {{{{{{wherria}}}}}

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  • rosesrx
    rosesrx Member Posts: 458
    edited August 2010

    OOOHHHH Sweeney,  Did he get your husbands candy bar??  Gotta get a pic with your cell phone. Maybe he will be working every 3 weeks aye?

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  • rosesrx
    rosesrx Member Posts: 458
    edited August 2010

    Liz,

    Scrabblelady started a thread today for Sept 10er's.  I am still in holding pattern.  Love you gals and glad to share with you as only you can understand.   

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  • calamtykel
    calamtykel Member Posts: 1,187
    edited August 2010

    Wher - I'm SO SORRY!  I understand completely how you feel.  I had to put down my sweet 15 year old puppy two years ago.  It takes time to heal.  It would just overtake me at crazy times in the days that followed and I'd start to sob out of the blue.  Allow yourself that time to heal.  Someone sent me to the Rainbow Bridge website which made me cry even more but it did give me comfort to realize that someday we may see one another again.  Now I'm tearing up just typing this and reliving it all. 

    Please know you're in my thoughts and prayers.  

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  • Scrabblelady
    Scrabblelady Member Posts: 261
    edited August 2010

    Wherria:   How sad to lose your dog.  We are first time dog owners and our wonderful, but very bossy, elkhound is nearing 14 years old.  I couldn't imagine life without her.  I'm sending you big hugs and heartfelt prayers.

    Margaret 

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  • justduit35
    justduit35 Member Posts: 10
    edited August 2010

    Hi Deb,

     You have the closest to my type of cancer that I have found on the breast cancer boards. The only difference is your tumor is slightly bigger than mine and you have to undergo radiation.  I somehow wiggled my way out of radiation. Did you have a bilateral mastectomy?

    Britainy

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  • justduit35
    justduit35 Member Posts: 10
    edited August 2010

    Hi mommymichelle and everyone,

     I thought about all of you as well! I woke up this morning feeling queasy. I ate something then took my dexmethasone. I later went to get my neulasta shot. I got it in my stomach (I recommend the stomach). I did not feel a thing except for the initial pinch. It all went great! Overall I am good and alive! I have experienced some side effects and just took my first phernegan to relieve the mild queasiness. I have also experienced off and on all day moderate joint pains, moderate body aches, some dry mouth, mild teeth pain (they feel a little tight). I swished with Biotene which helps a lot for the dry mouth. I am eating very healthy. I drink lots of water. My face was a little red this morning but I think it went away. I am about to take some ibuprofen for the body pain. My face and stomach is a little puffy from the demethasone but the bonus of the steroid is that it gives me some energy even when the rest of me is not feeling well!!! LOL. I am listing all of my side effects to give you an idea but I will tell all you about to undergo chemo not to be afraid. So far this queasiness feels like a pregnancy. But when I was pregnant, I threw up every day!!! I have not vomited once and I have been able to eat. As of today, food tastes the same. The biggest thing after chemo is to relax and go with the flow. I hope everyone keeps doing well! This will all pass!

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  • DebJ
    DebJ Member Posts: 41
    edited August 2010

    up now at 3:30 not feeling well at all....had chemo Monday.  Since have had total loss of energy, and up until now, no real nausea but I think that's about to change..........I don't thnk I can do this 5 more times. 

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  • calamtykel
    calamtykel Member Posts: 1,187
    edited August 2010

    I'm sorry Deb!  It really rocks the system, doesn't it.  :(   I'm awake too - just can't sleep tonight - so know that you're in my thoughts and prayers right now!

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  • 1WonderWoman
    1WonderWoman Member Posts: 2,065
    edited August 2010

    DebJ: cancer is so sneaky and so quiet as it spends time growing, in an attempt to kill us, we are the lucky ones where they found it in time to be able to deal with it.  It is probably the most surreptitious disease and, in the words of Vince Vaugh from "Wedding Crashers!!," it is a "5 alarm clinger!!"   Oh, I had so many of those in my day!!!  Alas, I digress!  The point is this: the cells that can sneak away during surgery are microscopic so our docs can't even find them on all their massive, expensive radar.  Cancer is a thief in the night.  I  know chemo is disgusting and makes us all long for better days but there is no way you can kill something as sneaky as cancer without dousing the body with meds that are going to permeate every last cell in the body in an attempt to eradicate this mess.   I know I am going to be sick, in pain, heading to the bathroom etc... but I will take all of that because, for some reason, I take solace in the fact they can put this stuff in our system to try to kill any remnants of this impervious disease. 
    In the end, I think the sickness, pain, nausea, and general state of discomfort etc.. is well worth it.   Cancer will set up camp and hide if you don't smoke it out of it's hole.  Hello chemo!

    BTW, this next part is going to be gross but I am going somewhere with it!   I got my ultrasound, which basically found the cancer, around mid-March.   Just before that I woke up from a nightmare where a cockroach was leaving my body by crawling out my eye and all I could see was the underbelly of the bug while it was leaving.  I woke up wrecked.  I usually don't remember dreams, don't have nightmares and I have not seen a cockeroach since I went to my friends railroad flat in Hell's Kitchen in NY and...well, gross!   Before that it  was college.  My point is this: I don't know that the nightmare foretold anything but what I do know is cancer is like cockroaches and it is as hard to get rid of.   I remember them coming to spray at college over and over and over again and they never seemed to leave our dorm.  The only person I heard of having success was an ex of mine who would become a heart surgeon but when he was in med school, he lived in an apartment where the roaches were non-stop.   He would buy cookies and leave them in the oven with boric acid on them!!!  He would not turn the oven on but leave the door ajar.   This is how he got rid of these nasty bugs.  Chemo is our boric acid!

    One more thing: I read the other day cancer loves sugar....anyone heard of that?   Just wondering.  I thought it was interesting.

    Happy trails, girls...I know this is hard but we have to do it.  It is a bitter pill with a luscious result!!!

    Your FEARLESS Leader!   

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  • jsw19
    jsw19 Member Posts: 243
    edited August 2010

    Deb, I feel your pain.  Last Friday I got a quarter of a dose of Taxotere before having an allergic reaction.  I felt ill on Sunday and Monday but since Tuesday have been feeling pretty normal.  Well this morning I woke up to see my bedroom sloshing around.  Seriously, I sat up in bed and everything looked like it was moving!  It was unpleasant and made me feel nauseated.  It stopped after about a minute but now I'm not feeling so hot.  I'm sipping on some ginger ale and hoping things will settle back down.  These drugs really do a number on our bodies.

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  • lisasinglem
    lisasinglem Member Posts: 315
    edited August 2010

    DEBJ - I had that issue too my first tx.  I had tx on Monday and Friday and Saturday were the worst days.  I think it was worse because I kept expecting to get better, and still felt crappy.  Sunday, I was okay for the first half of the day, and then felt sick later.  By Monday, though, I was feeling MUCH better.  I had TCH.

    Hope it gets better soon!

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  • 1WonderWoman
    1WonderWoman Member Posts: 2,065
    edited August 2010

    A few more things...speaking of college, I just ate the rest of my spicy california roll from last night for breakfast with coffee!!!!!!  That was a sort of fancy college breakfast!

    Why can't Josh Temple, or Sweeney's nurse (!), find me at Lowe's and offer to Crash my House?!?!  For those of you not in the know, he is the aesthetically pleasing contractor that roams DIY stores with an HGTV camera crew as part of their "House Crasher" series!

    BTW, chemo scares me but cancer scares me more!

    Macy's One Day Sale.....capitalism calls!   I must go!

    I hope everyone has a lovely, lovely day ;)

    Liz

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  • Ondagrow
    Ondagrow Member Posts: 349
    edited August 2010

    Hi All... Hope everyone is in good spirits OVERALL...

    Is anyone having their second chemo treatment Monday...

    I am dreading another TCH treatment...Three weeks went quick...

    I hope my blood level are good...I have been taking my iron as prescribed...

    At least Monday night I can say two down..

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  • 1WonderWoman
    1WonderWoman Member Posts: 2,065
    edited August 2010

    Sohard:  so glad you are going to be able to say 2 down!  Meanwhile your fearless leader will be here by herself, posting to herself, in December!  I am going to have TAC x6 if we ever get started!

    One more thing: my onc has a very nice nurse and I spoke with her briefly yesterday before the Muga scan.  In any case, she pointed out that if you can try to fight fatigue with working out, not a lot, maybe even just 10 minute walks here and there, it really, really helps.   She points out, and something I had not even thought of, the more you feed fatigue, the worse it gets.  Honestly, that never dawned on me as I just figured if I was fatigued, I was at the worst point of fatigue at that moment.   I guess not.  Something to consider.

    Best to all of you and now I really am going shopping!!

    Liz

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  • calamtykel
    calamtykel Member Posts: 1,187
    edited August 2010

    Yes, I'm very careful with sugar.  My nutritionist is really a stickler about cancer and sugar.  Actually sugar will take down your immune system under any circumstances.  Now, since I've been feeling lousy, I've slipped with the sugar --but not terribly, mostly with more fruit than I'd usually eat.  But right now, during chemo, it's ALL about survivial, so if commercial yogurt with sugar in it (ahem-in my case :D)  is what you can do, then do it!  If ice cream is ALL you can handle, then why not, at this time.

    But I've lived a mostly sugarless lifestyle for the past year as it helped eradicate my lyme disease  :0) and I just don't tolerate sugar well anyway.   But I'm still being careful and once the chemo is done, I plan on going back to being mostly sugar free.  I don't do chemical sweeteners either though.  

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  • sharonkw
    sharonkw Member Posts: 15
    edited August 2010

    Gingerbrew,

    I have been taking lorazempam  since before chemo to help me sleep at night....one mg works well for me with no SE's.  Still taking it Day 9 after first chemo and still works well.  Hope this info helps.

    Sharonkw

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  • rachel5738
    rachel5738 Member Posts: 920
    edited August 2010

    Strangely....I haven't had any taste for sugar...and this coming from a previous sugar-aholic. Hopefully, this sticks with me!

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  • zenith4289
    zenith4289 Member Posts: 170
    edited August 2010

    LIZZYMACK1 I will still be doing chem in dec as i have taxol x12 after the AC.  second AC is coming up this thursday.  NP told me yesterday I was losing too much weight.  This is the first time ANY medical professional told me that!!  I should have asked her to put it in writing, sign and date it so I could frame it!! 

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  • IowaSue45
    IowaSue45 Member Posts: 586
    edited August 2010

    Good afternoon day 2 and alls ok so far, yesterday I had more heartburn then nausea . I was supose to take the steriod last evening but didn't because of the lack of sleep from it the evening before and still I feel fine today been doing the usual sat. cleaning around the house. I hope the bad feelings of day 3,4 & 5 don't hit like it has for otheres. Take care each of you chemo sistas

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